xeroxed insanity

xeroxed insanity

 

 

 

suburbia kneels

in coffin rows,

all the heads turned the same way

towards a grave of sameness

 

the inevitable likeness

only difference is the number on the door of monotony

the independence we fought for 200 plus years ago

is a letter stamped with a flag,

in a mailbox that looks like all the others

 

the postman has to ring twice to be sure

to have the right house of commonality

and the kids dressed in sweaters from the mall shop

selling a name brand that everyone has to have

 

their smiles light up the street

and from the shadows emerge

those cookie cutter shapes

those calculated cocoons

so safe because they don't stand out

in

or up

 

to the capitalistic maneuvering 

of a merchandised society

spilling coffee on the tablecloths

of dinner tables of contented clones

 

all feeling the same sameness.

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

1/12/16

Reviews

[wolfshrew]

Oh, to exist in Pleasantville.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, wolfshrew...yes, great movie...like an extended version of Leave it to Beaver...

still the same...(as bob seeger sang)

appreciate your visit.

j.

[wolfshrew]

I'll be singing that song loudly in my car on my daily commute,

I look forward reading more.

[ms. barrie]

most compelling write...one that profoundly speaks volumes of
society's mind numbing loss of individuality, superficiality.
wonderful use of language...reminds of this verse:

* to swing on the spiral of our divinity and still be a human. * --
tool's "lateralus" --- something
humanity needs to start desperately seeking again.

thank you for sharing your gifted ink, -- x

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, barrie...

j.

[andrew mitchell]

The copy cat syndrome, The monotony of it all, as sheep they follow the ideas sold to them lol Feels like 1984 story by G. Orwell has arrived in organised estates.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, andrew,
j.

[Gee]

Love this.I build houses on new developments and this describes the estates to a tee.Row after row of near identical boxes filled with families striving only to accrue more debt than their neighbours so that they can talk about themselves.


,

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Gee.

j.

[Scott Thompson]

Reminds me of a HUGE suburb I passed outside of Kansas City, MO. Hundreds of homes with the exact same floor-plan, about four different colors in the entire complex....Gave me shivers, and still does when I think of it! I would end up being shot for walking into the wrong house at night!!! I wonder if THEY would even realize you were speaking of that mentality? I enjoyed the sarcasm immensely, and it left me smiling!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

one of my exes has a sister who lives in a suburb of Richmond, VA.....even the mailboxes have to be exactly the same...ah me.
thank you for your words, Scott.

j.

[Ken Simm.]

Dystopian and thought provoking. We look around and we see the flaws. Perhaps that is our job? Very few see those flaws and see the worries in such an almost beatiful but stark way. You have succeeded here my friend.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Ken.

j.

[B. Boileau]

I get a sense of George Orwell's 1984. or an early 80's meryl lynch ad all in one. Makes me feel glad I'm not part of the collective, so ta speak.
I like the postman ringing twice reference and the build up to it.
As always your writting is my reading pleasure

bill

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, and the allusion to Orwell...that is quite the compliment...

i appreciate your words, bill..

j.

[paddy d daly]

This is how we live in modern
society, l don't like to blow my
own trumpet but l have four grown
kids and l am happy to say they don't
think like that, maybe we did something
right after all, anyway l digress Jacob,
Great work as always, enjoyed Reading.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i am so happy to hear that your children did not become part of it all...yay for them and you.

j.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I remember watching a movie a long time ago called The Long Riders...it starred three sets of brothers..David and Keith Carradine, Stacy Keach and his brother and Dennis and Randy Quaid. But a scene from that movie stuck with me...they were talking about robbing a bank...in Northfield, Minnesota...and one of the guys says..."You ever been there?" The other says no. First guy says, we are gonna lose this damn war. You know why? I was there once, when they were building that town and before they put up any other buildings...before they built the bank...hell, even before they built the church, do you know what they built? A SCHOOLHOUSE! And they herded all their little ones into it...because them yankees think everybody ought to think JUST LIKE THEY DO! And they want everybody to all act the same, believe the same...and THAT is why we are going to lose this war." Reminds me of the Tower of Babel in the Old Testament..."They are of one mind and see what they begin to do?" On the other side...it's scary too...a bit Farenheit 451...or George Orwell's 1984...I can't watch the news...that really is like 451...I wonder how free we can be in such a connected society...but excuse me for chasing rabbits...it's how my mind runs these days..I enjoyed your satire.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i own Long Riders, one of my favorites---great soundtrack, ry cooder...

yes, think like they do...as alice cooper would sing "we're all clones"

thank you for your insightful words, Fabian...
appreciate your visits...

j.

[Einstein Noodle]

ouch! ouchy ouch ouch! ;) i read "A Nation of Sheep" like yesterday man! ;) ... well maybe a bit longer ago than that ..but i loved it, ate it up and made the vow ... this poem so reminds me of it and i am joyous you include the merchandising handlers ... we are not ignorant ... all the news is at our eyes instantly forever ... we must be a greater than 50% majority that do know this game .. and only play on our terms .. but alas ... sadly facts fly in the face ... just try shopping at the peak of too many frenzies ;{ /// so i stay home and feed hungry children and g-babes :) if its not enough ... well they can talk to the empty bellied Buddha ... found just down the street :(
E.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, E.

j.